Flu shot | Arthritis Information

 

Dear Folks,

    I was wondering if I should get a flu shot while on prednisone so looked up the question on Google.  The consensus is that we should get the shot, and the earlier, the better...no later than November.  There is a warning against getting the nasal spray flu vaccine, since it contains weakened virus as opposed to the shot which contains dead virus.  Here's one site for you to read if you have questions:

http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthqa/f/flushots.htm

Hi Bob...I came down with PMR one week after the flu shot last year (although I do think it had been lurking in the background for about month before)  so am not enthusiastic about doing it again until this has all cleared up!Bob, from all that I have read, we should not have any inoculations while on pred.  I will check with my  Dr. on Tues.  Maybe it is one of those things where there are different opinions.

Shirley
I am on the fence. The last thing my rheumy, the one I am not seeing
anymore, said to me was, "get your flu shot."

LibethWell Libeth, that is enough for me! No flu shot here!

Seriously, I have been wondering about this. Work says I have to get one, bt I
avoided it last year. The 1 time I did get the shot I got bad symptoms. My
son got the flu last year & I ended up taking the nasal stuff. Did ok. I don't
think I'll get anything this year.

Like Bob, I will take a flu shot before mid-November. I took it last year and had no problems.

Ragnar

Have had the flu shot the last 2 years and no problems... not even a cold. My Rheumy also said 'must have' as our immune system is weakened by Pred. We have had a bad flu strain here in Australia this winter. It was reported that a few small children had died from this flu and some older folk as well.  Just about everyone I know had some sort of flu/cold this winter but luckily I escaped. I don't know if it was the flu shot or just plain lucky!I have all fingers and toes crossed as I wrote this, but I too, despite my fears, have avoided the flu and even colds this winter. I have never had a flu shot before, and don't know what I will do next autumn. Lyn, we had the same bad flu here, I think I avoided it, and colds, by staying away from groups of people, not eating out and asking my family and friends to please stay away if they had any bugs. I told them I was on pred and to please not infect me! Hi Bob

Like Gmama, my pmr started immediately after a flu jab last november. I'm
not having one this year!

MargaretHi Bob,

     I never got a flu shot and am so afraid it will make me ill,  I am super sensitive to drugs, i go through this every year, wondering what is the right thing to do, and there are so many different views on it. 

     Are you going to get it?

     I had my first shot of methotrexate last week,  felt miserable all week, i feel miserable all the time so i don't even know if it is from the drug or the pmr, I am losing a lot of muscle tone in my shoulders, upper arms, I think from being in pain and not using them.  Have started doing some light exercise, I sit in a chair and pretend i am rowing, so i get a kick out of that.    Love,   Georgiana

Hi Georgiana,

     I think I'm going to get the shot.  I'd rather deal with dead virus than get exposed to the live variety.  It's either that, or go into seclusion for six months.  I see my rheumy Wednesday and will get his opinion and pass it on.

     Rowing, even simulated rowing, is good exercise.  After 30 minutes, though, take a break and join us on the aft deck... smoking optional unless Chico is there, in which case those of us with cigars won't light up.

     I think I need to pull an oar myself.  It may be illusionary, but I think my forearms and biceps have lost muscle over the last 8 months due to a decrease in my usual activities.

Last Dec. I had my first flu shot.  I have had autoimmune diseases in the past but hve been in total remission for many years.  Two days after flu shot I awoke with stiff hands and painful wrists.  The next couple days I had terrible pain in my shoulders, upper arms, lower arms , palms of hands, wrists.  I would awake with horrible pain in any one of these places.  Was on prednisone for 4 mo. and am just now starting to feel better.  My dr. said anyone who ever had lyme disease should never have one as the shot reactivates it. For me it was pmr.

I would be cautious.

Morning glory

Bob

you probably have lost some of your muscle tone from not using them, i know i definitly   have, i can feel it mostly in my shoulders and upper arms, i will do the rowing exercise, and meet you later on the upper deck for a drink and a smoke.  my late husband used to smoke this little thin Italian cigar, forgot what he used to call them, boy did they stink, we nicknamed them guinny stinkers.     Georgiana

middy
Sorry about your experience with the flu shot, but glad to hear you are starting to feel better.   i am still up in the air as to what to do, i probably will not get it and keep my fingers crossed.
                            Georgiana

Hi Folks,

I saw my rheumy today and asked him if there were any reasons to not get a flu shot.  He said, "Absolutely not!"  To deal with positives rather than negatives, he says get one.

Please note, however, that I am on a low dose of prednisone, just starting 8 mg, and for high doses his advice may not apply. 

 

Bob,

It was getting a really bad flu two years running that prompted me to be sure to get a flu shot. I never used to get that sick, and didn't want to risk it again - especially since pred. lowers one's resistance to things. My doc said go for the shot, and I did with no ill effects. It was a bout (or what seemed like 2 bouts in as many months) that set off the PMR.

I can relate to the deconditioning aspect of PMR. I have just started getting back to the weights at the gym. Even at pretty low weights, I am having difficulty, but I will push through. Figure I will go for more reps than higher weight, at least for now. I was VERY excited recently to be able to actually jog for about a half block (got pretty winded). Sounds kind of lame, but since I haven't been able to do that for a couple of years due to achy joints and what not, it was a great boost for me.

I was also excited to get the results of my most recent blood work at the rheumatologist. My sed rate had been hovering in the mid 40's for quite some time, and it is now 38. Yay! I will consider myslef absolutely done with the PMR now!!! Things do look up. It has been a very long haul - at least 5 years - but it is done. Now I can deal better with the back problems and other "old" age related maladies. I really son't know what I will do about the shot... know the docs dsy get it,
but it scares me since I have felt bad from it before & think I had flu like
symptoms right before PMR started...

another dilema...
pgrReni,   your news is wonderful and encouraging. I am so pleased for you
and know you been thru a lot and worked hard to get to where you are. We
have all benefitted from your experience.
Be well always.
GeralynYeah reni! How did I not react to that??? Sometimes i am asleep at the wheel!
Anyway... don't leave us just cause you are better. We need the hope your
case gives; not to mention your whit & charm
pgr

Reni I am so happy for you... You Go Girl!! ( but not from here). I have enjoyed reading and learning from your posts and your humour has been ray of sunshine on some dreary days. Wonderful to hear your good news, gives the rest of us hope! With your positive attitute and 'get up and go' you will conquer any ..old age maladies. Keep well! and let us know how youWE ARE DOING !!Lyn

PS I am concerned about Betsy, seems ages since she last posted.

 

Reni,  Congratulations on reaching Remission Island!  We're rowing hard and hopefully steering the right heading to get there ourselves.  Shine us a light during the dark hours so we can stay on course.

The way I understand it is that anyone with a chronic illness should have a flu shot and it should be the "shot" and not the nasal treatment. Also, sometimes after I have a flu shot I don't feel well and that only lasts a day. It is kind of like a day long very mild case of flu. It happens to a lot of people my Dr said.

What if a person with auto immune disease gets the flu? One who did not opt for the vaccination? It could cause a setback that could last for days/weeks. Maybe even pneumonia or hospitalization.

I am getting the shot.

Dear Reni,

     I am so happy for you, it is good to know that there is a light at the end of this terrible disease.

     I had my shot of methotrexate, I had a reaction to something, either the meth or the pred.
     something in my mouth and on my lips dr. called it Thrush, so did not get the second shot.
    I have to see him next thursday, will see what he says, can not seem to catch a brake here.
     today is rainy here, feel very achy, does the weather affect you that way?
     Where is Betsy,  I hope she is allright.  I wish she would post a line.

      BETSY WHERE ARE YOU???????????????????LOVE, GEORGIANA

    
Geirgiana,
Thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth. Many babies get it. When I started
on pred it was one of the things I read can be a result of the lessened
immunity.

I would not write off the methotrexate yet.
You really do deserve a break & YES WHERE IS BETSY????????????

OH BETSY>>>> let us know you are ok!!!
pgrthanks pgr

it feels like it is going away, I do still want to give the methotrexate a chance, so i will get another shot next thursday, if not i will be back to square one again with some other unknown drug, so i will row on with the meth. and pray for the best.  Thanks for your help and concern

                     Love  Georgiana



Copyright ArthritisInsight.com